Drayage Services

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Florida Port Drayage, Run by TWIC-Certified Drivers Since 1977

Drayage Services in Florida

Drayage is the short-haul leg that gets a container off a vessel, off a rail car, or out of a port yard and to the warehouse where the freight actually unloads. It is one of the most time-sensitive legs in any supply chain, because per-diem charges on a stranded container climb fast and a missed yard appointment can push a container back a full day.

Comet runs Florida drayage out of PortMiami, Port Everglades, Port of Palm Beach, Port Tampa Bay, and Port of Jacksonville with TWIC-certified drivers and a dedicated truck on every run. Call 786-321-0478 to schedule a port pull.

Comet drayage tractor pulling a shipping container off the PortMiami terminal

When Drayage Is the Right Service

Comet handles the typical drayage patterns Florida importers and exporters need:

  • Import port pulls. Container off the vessel, through the terminal, and to your inland Florida warehouse or distribution center.
  • Export drayage. Container from your facility, into the port, ready for the cut-off.
  • Rail ramp pickups. Container off an intermodal ramp and out to its final receiver.
  • Cross-town drayage. Container from one Florida terminal or warehouse to another, often to unload, repack, or trans-load.
  • Per-diem rescue runs. Last-minute pulls before per-diem free time runs out and a container starts racking up daily charges.
  • Trans-load and de-stuffing. Pull the container, drop at a Comet partner cross-dock, and forward the freight on dry vans or our LTL service.

How Comet Runs a Florida Drayage Pull

A drayage move starts with a phone call to South Florida dispatch. We capture the container number, BOL, ISF, the steamship line, the terminal, the appointment number if you have one, the chassis source, and the final delivery address. From there, Comet sequences the run around the terminal's appointment window and Florida traffic patterns. The driver pulls the container, transits to the receiver, gets unloaded or stages for live unload, and returns the empty per the steamship line's drop rules.

The truck assigned to your drayage move is dedicated. The driver is not picking up other customers' freight along the way. Status updates come back through our dispatch desk by phone or email when you ask. Comet does not put customers on a public GPS feed of the driver, but dispatchers will give you a straight answer on container location any time you call.

TWIC, Hazmat, and Port Credentials

Florida seaports require a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) to enter restricted port zones. Every Comet driver who pulls drayage carries a current TWIC. For drayage involving hazardous materials, Comet drivers carry hazmat endorsements as required, and our dispatchers route those moves around the placarding and routing restrictions specific to PortMiami, Port Everglades, and the other Florida ports.

Drayage Equipment for Florida Freight

Drayage equipment is not one-size-fits-all. The mix Comet runs across Florida includes:

  • Day-cab tractors for short-haul port pulls and local drayage.
  • Chassis options sized for 20-foot, 40-foot, and 45-foot containers.
  • Flatbed and step-deck capacity for over-dimensional cargo that comes off a container and needs a non-standard chassis for the inland leg.
  • Liftgate-equipped trucks for trans-load runs where a container's contents have to come off at a curbside or small commercial drop.

Florida Ports and Lanes We Cover

Comet drayage covers PortMiami, Port Everglades, Port of Palm Beach, Port Tampa Bay, and Port of Jacksonville. We also handle inland intermodal ramps and partner facilities across the Florida cross-state corridor. Common drayage lanes include PortMiami to Doral and Medley warehouses, Port Everglades into Pompano and Davie, Port of Palm Beach to West Palm and Riviera Beach, and Port Tampa Bay to Lakeland and Plant City. Drayage pairs well with our cross-docking, warehousing, and freight consolidation when freight needs to stage between legs.

Why Florida Importers Choose Comet for Drayage

  • TWIC-certified drivers on every port pull. No third-party staffing surprises.
  • Dedicated trucks, not commingled drayage. Your container is the only freight on the truck.
  • Live human dispatch, 24/7. South Florida operations answering the phone.
  • Per-diem awareness. Dispatch knows the free-time clock and prioritizes pulls accordingly.
  • Long-term partnerships. Most Comet customers stay for years. Drayage rates reflect relationship economics, not spot.

Schedule Florida Drayage

If you have a container that needs to come off a Florida port or rail ramp, or a load that needs to roll in for export, call 786-321-0478, email [email protected], or use the contact form below. Give us the container number and the terminal. We will assign a TWIC-certified driver and a chassis.

Other Services Provided by Comet

Do You Have A Question?

Call our 24-hour hotline, 1-888-266-3833, and find out how Comet can best serve you and your customers.

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